Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Shawano County’s nonunion employees will get 1 percent pay raises this summer, despite the reluctance of some county supervisors.
The pay raises, effective July 1, will benefit about 280 of the county’s 330 employees and will cost taxpayers $57,457 this year. In subsequent years, the raises will cost $114,914 annually.
County Board members approved setting money aside for pay raises as part of a 2015 county budget that included $59 million in spending and $14 million in property tax collections.
Some supervisors voiced reservations during Wednesday’s board meeting about a proposal to allocate funds and distribute the pay raises.
“How come every time we save some money, we have to find another place to spend it?” Supervisor Bonnie Olson asked.
The measure was approved on a 22-5 vote, clearing a supermajority of 18 votes needed to allocate the money.
Board Chairman Jerry Erdmann offered assurances that the county could afford the pay raises and that they represented no major change from the approved budget.
“This basically is nothing new,” he said.
Some supervisors questioned how the pay raises relate to a recent wage study in which consultants established guidelines for future county employee salary adjustments. That study laid out a process of awarding merit raises based on job performance.
Such raises could be awarded Jan. 1, but Administrative Coordinator Brent Miller said they would trimmed proportionately for any employee who receives the 1 percent increase this summer.
The new 1 percent raises also do not apply to elected officials, to Miller or to union employees of the county sheriff’s department. The sheriff’s workers received 2 percent pay raises this year under their negotiated contract.
Supervisor Kathy Luebke said during Wednesday’s meeting she wondered where the county would get the money to continue the 1 percent non-union pay raises next year.
“I’m kind of worried,” she said.
Erdmann said the county has lost some nonunion employees to higher paying jobs elsewhere, and the county needs to respond.
“Now would be a good time,” he said, “to show them — hey, they are appreciated.”
